Knitting machine



Sept l, 1931. v. LOMBARD: 1820382 KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 17, 1928 BY M Hr 0424,09-

A--r NEY Patented seti. i, 193i iJNrrED NSTATES vPA'IEN'I" ori-'ICE VINCENT LOMBARDI, or BROOKLYN, NEW vom:

KNITTING MACHINE original appncationfniea November 17, 192s, serial No. 320,111. Dividea'gnd um December 9, 1929.

This invention relates to knitting machines and includes pertain correlated inventions and discoveries appertaining thereto and constitutes a div-ision of my application Serial No. 320,111, liled Nov. 17, 1928, Patent No. 1,792,647 issued Feb. 17, 1931. y An object of this invention is to prov1de a knitting machine whereby a large number of varied pattern effects may be readily and economically incorporated :into a knitted fabric. l

ln its more specilic aspect the invention has for an objecttheprovision of a cylindrical type knitting machine with an improved type of pattern control mechanism p including a pattern determining drum mounted with its axis substantiall parallel with the axis of the needle cylin er. J

Another object is to providea more rugged pattern mechanism for a knitting machine.- j

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations -ofelements, and arrangement of partswhich j Q ltacts with butt depends upon the settlngs will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and scope of lthe aps plica-tion of which will be indicated by the appended claims. Y j

For a fuller understandingjof the nature and objects of the invention, reference is `made to the following detailed descriptionk taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the ligure illustrates the invention applied to a machine of the cylindrical typ/e.

The figure illustrates in cross section/a circular knitting` machine of the cylindrical type embodying the improved pattern determining mechanisms of this invention. As this subject matter has been divided out of my application Serial No'. 320,111, it will be apparent that additional details of the particular mechanism may be obtained by i reference tp that specification, The cylinder needles l, are mountedin grooves in a ystationary cylinder 2, as is customary.

The usual sinkers, 4, are shownl adjacent thev lat-ched ends of the needles,

along with the smker cam 5. Each needle has a main butt circular knitting Serial No. 412,722.

' needles. The drawing shows a raising cam application led on which are,

9. When all needles are'lying against the needle cylinder, cam 9 is so positioned as i to Width that it will raise those needles vhaving a butt extension 7, but will not contact with the main butt 10, which means that only alternate needles will be raised, and that the said needles will be only artially raised, for example, to the inter ock osition, as indicated b the dotted line 11. lnder such conditions t e remaining needles ,will remainretracted.

On the other hand, if the needles are moved outwardly from the needle cylinder,

cam 9 will contact with the butt 10, of each needle and fully raise each needle to the knitting position indicated by the dotted line 12.

Whether or not Athe 4raising cam 9 conproduced by a pattern drum 13.- This drum v13 is mounted on the cam cylinder 8 so that the drum is moved around the needle cylinder during the operation of the machine.

The drum 13 is also mounted for rotation .on its own axis in response to this move` contains a plurality of parallel grooves in' its outer surface, each groove containing a slidable element 17, each element 17 havlng a pivoted member 18 mounted near its lower end for rocking movement. When the end v20 of the lpivoted member 18 has lbeen rocked so aspto project beyond the surface ci the drum, a cam 21, mounted on the housing 22 for the drum, is adapted during the rotation ofthe drum to Contact with the portion 2O and cause a movement of the ,20 beyond the surface'of the drum. \G

associated element 17 in a downward direction away from the needles. lllhen a member 18 has been rocked so as to project portion 19 beyond the surface of the. drum, a similar cam 23 is adapted to slide the associated element 17 upwards and towards the needles.

The number of slidable elements 17 is y preferably less than the number of needles in themachine and hence each slidable elernent may be adapted to control a plurality of needles spaced around the needle cylinder. Thus if there are thirty slidable elements and three hundred needles, each element will control ten needles. Before the .passage of a pattern drum a cam 24 suitably carried by the cam cylinder 8 serves to contact with the lower portion 25 of each needle and move each needle away from the needle cylinder and into the path of the pattern drum. The pattern drum then follows the cam 24. If a particular element 17 is in its upper position its cam surface 26 will contact with the portion 25 of its respective needles and cause the said needles to be thrust. back into the needle slots from where they were moved by the cam 24. 1f however a particular element 17 is in lits lower position, its cam surface 26 will be unable toY contact with the needle end and hence the needles corresponding to the said element 17 will remain with their lower portions thrust outwardly from the needle cylinder. The elements 17 are therefore able to control whether cam 9 will contact with the butt extension 7 or with the main butt An extension 27 of the needle cylinder' 2 is grooved onthe side ladjacent the'patternv drum, and there is vprovided in each slot or groove a slidable jack 28, the number of jacks 28 preferably beingequal to the number of slidable' elements 17 on the pattern drum. Eachjack 28 hasl an extension 29 which in a -lower position is opposite the path taken byv ends 19 of the pivoted members 18 and in an u per-position is opposite the path taken by t -e ends 20 of said members.` It will beassumed that by mecha.

nism yet to be described the jacks 28 arel placed in predetermined positions prior to the passage of the pattern drum, some in an advanced position and some-in; a. retracted.

position. If extension 29 for one jack is, retracted then its correspondingi pivoted member 18 during-the passage of thedrum will rock its` pivoted member-to throw eilild n t e other hand if the extension 29'for one jack is advanced, then its, corresponding pivots ed member will be rocked to project end' 19 beyond the surface of the drum. Inthis.A

manner-each pivoted member 518 will receive a pattern determining actuation Afrom the. plurality. 'of `28, which actuation aeaaeea by the subsequent control due to cams 21 or 23 will determine the position of cam surface 26 with respect to the needle ends.

The various elements 17 may be held in placein th drum slots by a coiled spring 30 surrounding the drum. Each pair of elements 17 and 18 is also preferably sprung or bent so as to fit fairly tightly in its slot and prevent undesired movements.

The manner in which the jacks 28 may be controlled by a pattern sheet to cause variations in the knitting will now. be described. Each jack 28 is connectedto one end of a wire 32 which passes over a pulley 33 and through a hole .in the lower side of a pivoted lever 34. thumbl screw 35 threaded `on a small tube 36 surrounding the wire serves by a coiled spring 37 to force lever 34 against a lug 38 clamped on the wire 32 at a predetermined point. The tube 36also passes freely through the hole in lever 34 and thev clamp or lug 38 is ac- Atually an extension of tube 36. The upper end of each lever 34 is adapted to contact with one end o f a second pivoted lever 39.v

The levers 39 have fingers adapted to con- 'tact with the paper patternsheet 40 or perforations therein, the pattern being mounted on a'rotatable drum 41 as in my above mentioned patent application.

, Vlhe'nl alinger is resting on the paper pat'- .tern the relation of levers 34 and 39 is such that lever 39 contacts with shoulder 42 of lever 34, but if the finger enters a perforation, thelever 39 contacts with the shoulder 43, It will be apparent that spring 37 will with each other, so that the position of clamp 38 will be determined-by whether shoulder' 42 or 43 contacts with the end of lever 39.

In order that-the .position of the slidablcv jacks 28 to their uppermost positions'. After A the passage ofjcam 44 the springs 37 corresponding to those. levers 39 which have not encountered a perforation in the pattern 40,

will lpull-backthe corresponding. jacks un.

til the ortion 29 of each such jack is in the path o v the ends 19 of the pivoted members.

After this lhas been accomplished the. drum then vpasses the jacks 28 to have-the pivoted members 18vset in one direction or another depending upon' the setting ofthe jacks 28` by 'the paper pattern.

40 may bev moved a: step at a time from one row of configurations toanother and the manner in whiehthe ends 'of levers 34 and Themannerin which the pattern'sheet Ykeep. clamp 38 and lever 34 in close contact Lacasse performed in any convenient manner and `the particular apparatus disclosed for performing these functions is described'in detail in .my above mentioned patent application, Serial No. 320,111.

tern drum 13are adapted to contact di-V From the above description it .will be apparent lioiv the paper pattern 40 through the agency of the pattern drum 13 determines the knitting of the' needles for the yarn from the yarn carrier associated with the drinn 13. lt is of course to be understood that there may be a separate pattern drum for each yarn carrier of the machine, each drum in turn being selectively set by the jacks 28. l

'lhe needle contiol arrangements aie for convenience shown to cause a needle movement of the general type'described in my Patent No. 1,541,230 whereby there may be provided almulti-color fabric, wherein one yarn is formed into a series of interlnitted loops in one section of the fabric and a seclond yarn is formed into a series of inter' knitted loops in another section of the fabrie, the yarn not entering into the fabric in' any section being interloclied with the interknitted loops by being caught between the loops in certain preferably alternate, wales, and being extended behind tliekinterltnitted loops'in adjacent wales. For example for full knitting by all needles, the needles will be raised to level 12 and subsequently lowered.' For'the interlock feature, alternate needles will be raised to the level 11. while the particular yarn lcarrier is passing and' then subsequently lowered, while the remaining needles of the group will remain retracted during this operation.

lt is of course to be understood that cam cylinder 8 carries a needle advancing cam The vertical cam manner. For example its base plate 50 may carry a toothed rack 51 to rotate the cam ring by power from shaft 52.

lt is to be noted that by the present in'- veiition the slidable elements or the pat- `rectly with the needle butts instead of 'through intermediary members, thereby simplifying vthe apparatus and resulting- ,in increased efficiency.

@nly one embodiment 'of this invention has been described above but it is to be understood that the invention may possess many and varied forms without departing in any wise from the spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims.I

v What is claimed is:

1. A knitting machine comprising a stamounted on said cylinder, a pattern drum mounted for rotation around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to said rotation for controlling said needles, said1 druinbeing mounted with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, and stationary pattern mechanism for varying and controlling the pattern determining actuations of said drum.

2. A knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted on said cylinder, a pattern drum mounted for rotation around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to said rotation, movable elements on said drum for controlling said needles, said drum being mounted with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, adjustable eleinents mounted on a stationary part of said machine for adjusting said movable elements during a limited portion only of the .path of said drum around said cylinder, said drum controlling needles after said movable elements have passed beyond said 'adjustable elements, and pattern mechanism for actuating said adjustable elements.

3. A knitting machine comprising a stationary' needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted on said cylinder,a pattern drum mounted for rotation around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to said rotation, a plurality of spaced movable elements on said drum for controlling said needles, said drum being mounted with its axi substantiallyparallel with the axis of said cylinder, camv means acting in advance ol said drunifor placing all of said needles under the control ofsaid drum regardless of the prior conditions of said needles, and knitting cams acting subsequently to the passage of said drum for raising and lowering ,said needles in a manner selected byv said drum.

4. A knittingl machine comprising a stavtionary needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted on said cylinder, a pattern drum mounted for rotation around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to 'said rotation, said drum being mounted with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of` said cylinder, movable elements mounted on said drum for controlling said needles, a

plurality of jacks mounted on a stationary part of said machine in a circular path below said yneedles for controlling said elements, and pattern mechanism for actuating said` jacks in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder.

5. A knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, a row of needles vmounted on said cylinder, a rotatable cam icylinder surrounding said needle cylinder and having spaced upper and lower portions, a pattern drum rotatably mounted on tionary needle cylinder, a row of needles a vertical shaft extending between said por- 13o tions, whereby apart of said drum. lies ad- `jacent the needle cylinder, said upper portionary needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted on said cylinder, a pattern drum mounted for rotation around said row and rotating on its ownl axis in response to said rotation, said drum being mounted with its axis subsantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, cam means acting in advance' ot said drum for thrusting the lower ends of Alll) all of said needles away from said cylinder,- movable yelements on said drum for subsequently causing a movement of certain. ot said needles in a direction substantially at right angles to the axis ot said cylinder, and

:pattern mechanism for controlling said elements.- "i

7. A vknitting machine comprising a stationary cylinder, a row of needles mounted in vertical slots in the u perportion of said cylinder, a plurality o vertical slots in a lower portion of said cylinder,'a pattern drum mounted for `rotation around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to, said rotation, slidable ,elements mounted on said drum in slots parallel to the axis of the drum for individually controlling said needles, a plurality of Jacks mounted in vertical slots ina lower portionof said cylinder for controlling said elements, cam "means on said cylinder acting in advance of said drum for raising all of said jacks, and pattern mechanism for lowering certain of said jacks prior to the passage of said drum.

8. Avknitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, a circular row of needles mounted on said cylinder, pattern means having a plurality of rows of pattern determining configurations, supporting means for said pattern means mounted on a stationary portion of said machine, a pattern drum mounted for movement around said row and rotating on itsvown axis in response to said movement, said drum having its ,axis mounted substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, movable elements on said drum for controlling saidneedles', and means responsive to the character of said pattern configurations for controlling said elements.

9. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, a row of needles' mounted onsaid nitting machine comprising a sta.

jacks mounted in.

cylindera pattern Vdrum mounted for movement around saidgrow and rotating on its own axis in response to said movement, adjustable elements carried by said drum which in one position control said needles, said drum being mounted with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, a pattern mechanism containing rows of conigurations according to the pattern to be formed by the machine, means'responsive to the said mechanism for actuating certain of said elements in a direction at right angles to the axis of said cylinder, and cams for subsequently moving said certain elements in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder to the position iwhere said elements may control said needles.

10. A. knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted thereon, a grooved pattern drum arranged with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, said drum being mounted for movement around said cylinder and rotating on its own axis in response to said movement, slidable elements mounted in said grooves arranged in one position to directly actuate said needles, cams for advancing and retracting said elements to and from said position, jacks mounted on a stationary portion of said machine for actuating said elements and for placing certain of said elements under the control of said cams; said jacks being slidable in Ja direction substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, a pattern strip mounted on a stationary portion ot said machine and containing rows ot pattern conigurations, and means controlled' by said configurations for controlling said jacks.

ll.. A knitting machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, a row of needles mounted thereon, a pattern drum mounted vfor movement around'said row and rotating on its own axis in response to said movement, said drum having its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, adjustable elements on said drum for controlling said needles, each-element controlling a plurality of needles spaced around said cylinder, adjustable jacks mounted on one side of saidmachine for controlling said elements, there being a jack individual to each element, a pattern sheet, and means individual to each jack for controlling said jacks in accordance with the pattern on said sheet..

12. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder supporting a row of needles, a pattern drum mounted forv movement around said row and rotating in response to said movement, said drum being mounted with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, movable elements on ysaid drum for controlling said needles when said elements are in one position ,on said drum, statlonary pattern means at one side of said cylinder, jacks responsive to said pattern means for selectively setting said movable elements in a direction at right' angles to the cylinder axis, and cam means for actuating said movable elements in a longitudinal direct-ion after said selective setting for placing certain of said movable elements into said position for controlling said needles. v I n witness whereof, I, Vincent Lombardi, hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of November, 1929. d

VINCENT LOMBARDI. 

